Knockdown display shelves



May 31, 1960 D. J. SCHMIDT ErAL 2,9

xwocxoovm DISPLAY SHELVES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 29, 1957 W m C 5 JM V U 0 Herbert M. Schmia'f INVENTORS May 31, 1960 D. J. SCHMIDT ET L2,938,633

xuocxnowu DISPLAY SHELVES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 29, 1957 David J.Schmidt Herbert M. Schmidt IN VEN TORS United States Patent KNOCKDOWNDISPLAY SHELVES David J. Schmidt and Herbert M. Schmidt, both of 2512Superior Ave., Sheboygan, Wis.

Filed July 29, 1957, Ser'. No. 674,921

3 Claims. (Cl. 211-148) The present invention relates to portable,knockdown stands and shelf constructions which are primarily used asso-called display stands and shelves and has particular reference to aconstruction wherein the principal parts may be readily assembled anddisassembled without requiring the use of nails, screws or similarheaded fasteners.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical andeconomical construction wherein the components are precision made andmay be compactly packaged for shipping, storage and handling and may beexpeditiously assembled and set-up for use.

Another object of the invention is to structurally, functionally andotherwise improve upon similarly constructed and performing stands andshelves. For example, and in order to get some notion of the state ofthe art to which the invention relates reference may, if desired, bemade to the Schneider display stand patent, 2,595,002, and also to theYoungstrom knockdown stand patent, 2,574,607. Reference is directed tothese patents because in some ways they are similarly constructed andappropriate the use of shelves which are of different sizes, arranged inspaced parallel vertical planes, provided a stepped construction andutilize the idea of apertures in the shelves fitting over the uprightmembers which function to separably interconnect the shelves.

The present concept, instead of using uprights which have shoulders tosupport the apertured portions of the shelves, have continuouslyuninterrupted vertical marginal edges which taper upwardly and whichserve to accommodate carefully sized and prepared slots in the shelvesso that by shoving the slotted portions of the shelves over the uprightsthe shelves are wedged firmly in place and in this manner the parts arereadily joined for practical use.

Novelty is also predicated on the idea of having the extreme upper endsof the tapered uprights substantially flat and in a common plane toaccommodate a top shelf. This particular shelf is not slotted. Insteadit is bolted in place using wooden blocks, the wooden blocks serving toaccommodate screw threaded shanks on brackets. The brackets arebifurcated and are employed to support a sign, advertisement or thelike.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparentfrom the following deescription and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete stand or shelf constructionshowing the same set up for display use;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating one of the stepswherein the uprights are inserted into the slots in one of the panelsfor quickly erecting or putting up the stand and shelf;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view which shows another step in theconstruction illustrative of the practical simplicity of the uniqueconstruction;

Fig. 4 is a further perspective view with the uppermost shelf,advertising sign and other parts exploded" to bring out the constructionand arrangement of the parts;

Fig. 5 is a view in section and elevation showing one of the structuraladaptations, the section being on the plane of line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the finished construction; and

Fig. 7 is a detail view with parts in section and elevation taken on thevertical line 7--7 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the views of the drawings with reference numerals andlead lines the shelves are wooden or equivalent panels and as a matterof fact the uprights or legs are also panels. To distinguish however thehorizontal members or panels will be treated as shelves and in thearrangement seen there are four of these and they are denoted by thenumerals 8, 10, 12 and 14. Each one.

is flat and the shelves 10, 12 and 14 are progressively smaller thaneach other and the lowermost shelf 8. Basically, however, the shelves 8,10 and 12 are much alike in that each one is provided adjacent itstransverse end portions with inwardly spaced transverse slots 16. Theseare parallel to each other but are at right angles to the intermediatelengthwise slot 18. The last named slot is closer to the rear edge 20 ofthe shelf to provide the preferred positioning and cooperation of thecollective slots 16 and 18. Manifestly the sizes of the slots in the respective shelves diminish in proportion to their sizes as the drawingsclearly illustrate. In keeping with this idea the vertical panels, whichare here called legs or uprights are basically the same in constructionand each one is of truncated triangular form. The two end uprights aredenoted by the numerals 22 and the intermediate upright is denoted at24. It is significant to note that the lengthwise edges areuninterruptedly smooth and taper upwardly to the truncated flat upperends, said edges being denoted at 26 and the truncated upper ends at 28.On the end uprights near the upper ends are bolt holes 30 to accommodatethe bolts 32 which are utilized to fasten in place wooden or equivalentstabilizing blocks 34. These blocks in turn serve to accommodate thedepending screw threaded shanks 36 (Fig. 7) on the lower ends of thesocalled brackets 38. The brackets are bifurcated to define furcations40 which serve to receive and hold in place the lower edge portion 42 ofthe sign panel 44. Thus the brackets serve to support the sign and alsothemselves are connected with the uppermost shelf 14 and by beingthreaded into the blocks 34 through the bolt holes 46, they serve toassemble and clamp the uppermost shelf securely in place.

It will be evident that the slots are accurately positioned in thepanel-like shelves and that the panels which go to make up the uprightsor legs are likewise precision made so that the dimensions of slots andlegs are such that when the slotted portions of the shelves are fittedover the uprights the parts all fall in place in predetermined andsymmetrical relationship.

In following the assembly instructions one might refer to Fig. 2 forexample and assume that this is the first step which consists in layingthe bottom shelf or panel 8 on the long edge and at the same time insertthe truncated end portions of the tapering legs 22 and 24 into the slots16 and 18 in the obvious manner illustrated. Next one may set the bottomshelf with the legs in upright position as is shown for example in Fig.3. By striking the bottom shelf with a hand it can be forced down to itsintended level position whereupon it is wedged in place on the uprightsby way of the tight-fitting slots as is clear. The rest of the shelvesare slid in a similar manner with their slotted portions over therespective legs until the top shelf 14 is brought into play. This shelfis caused to rest atop the truncated upper ends 28 of the Patented May31, 1960 3 it, several legs. Previous thereto the anchoring andstabilizing wooden blocks 34v are bolted in place by the bolts 32passing through the bolt holes 30. This permits the result seen in Figs.5 and 7 to be accomplished which consists inboltingthe. shanks 36 of'the brackets 38 in place in the blocks and at'jthe Sflfi'l time settingup thebr'ackets'to accommodate the ins ertablef and removable sign 44'.

This construction is well balanced, stablefeasy to erect and knockdown.Therefo'rqit' is b e'lievejdto be such that it fulfills,therequirementsfor which it 'is aptly intended; The rere'going is consideredasillustritive only off the principles of the invention. Further,sinC'enUrii'rOUs n o'difica't'ion's and changes will readily occur tothose skilledin the art, it is not desired 'tdlimit the invention to theexact construction and Top eiiatibh shbwnfanddescribed; pnd' accoidingly'all "suitable modifications and equivalents 'aybe're sor'ted to,falling wit the scopeof hs p gm qnn y d 2 A Wha't'is cl aiined asnew'islas followsf' 1i Afkiiockdo wnst'and and shelf constructioncomprising, incomliinatiori at liea st'tw o 'fiat' Shelves arranged invertically spaced parallelisrn, each s'helf'b' i gi f iovide'cl at itsfend'pbrti o'ns 'with'slofs transv''rseto the lengthwise dimensiono'fisaid shelf andtl'ie respective s'ltitsdieing in spaced parallelismrelative to eachbthe'r, each slielf beingp'riovined midway betweer'fitsends' with jdthirdfslot' and 's aidthird slot being at right" anglesto'the first slots, and also parallel with and adjacent to'jojnelongitudinal marginal edge of the shelf, and fiat surfaced taperedassembling and supporting legs passing upwardly through the respectiveslots, the marginal edges of all of said slots being frictionally boundand wedged in place by the cooperating tapering lengthwise edges of thecooperating legs.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, and wherein the upper and lowerends of the respective legs are horizontal and fiat, a top shelfresting-atop the flattened upper end portions, bracketscarriedby saidtop shelf and detachably connected with the upper ends ofsaid'legsfs'aid brackets being'bifi'lfca v and the'fiurcationsfbeingadaptedfi accommodatean in's'Ertabl'e andfeinbizzibliigiir 3.The structure defined inpl airn- 2, and wherein the upper portionsofthelegs ar provid'dwi'th removable wooden blocks, said bracketshavingsc'rew' threaded shank portions passing through holes providedtherefor in the top shelf and being screwed into their respectiveblocks.

R f erehces Cited in the file of this patent :UNLTED-STAT-ES, PATE TS Ami

